The Pilgrimage. Saturday, June 20 ARRIVING Dublin An inch of surprise leads to a mile of gratefulness. Brother David Steindl-Rast

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Jane Dennis
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1 The Pilgrimage Friday, June 19 LEAVE TAKING St. Paul to Dublin Yet the Lord pleads with us still: And where the good road is, the Godly paths you used to walk in, in the days of long ago. Travel there, and you will find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16 Our pilgrims will have a very full day of travel, leaving at 7:05AM from St. Paul Union Depot on the Megabus. After arriving in Chicago, they will find their way to O Hare Airport for their flight to Dublin. On this day, join our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: What do I leave behind as I venture forth? What is my connection to this journey? What do I hope for? What do I fear? How will I remain open to God on this journey? What is written on my heart? Saturday, June 20 ARRIVING Dublin An inch of surprise leads to a mile of gratefulness. Brother David Steindl-Rast Our pilgrims, though tired, look forward to seeing The Book of Kells. As they prepared for pilgrimage, they prayed with Illuminations and practiced calligraphy (with lots of mistakes and laughter). In the evening they will begin their own storytelling, as each pilgrim comes to their pilgrim journey with a Bible story and a personal story to tell. On this day, join our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: What is this place for me today? Why am I here? How does becoming the stranger change my perspective of myself and others? How is God with me when I don t understand? What activity will I spend my life learning and doing? Sunday, June 21 SETTLING IN Dublin Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent. Victor Hugo This is the day that our pilgrims will be attending a church service at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin for a sung choral mass. They may also walk in St. Stephen s Garden and/or visit St. Patrick s Cathedral. On this day, join our pilgrims as they wonder: What is different about this place? What is familiar? To which images in this place that I am attracted? What beautiful things are growing in me? From where am I being sent forth? What am I questing for?

2 Monday, June 22 OPENING Belfast You cannot travel the path until you have become the path. Gautama Buddha Our pilgrims will wake early to catch the 7:30AM train to Belfast. To enter more deeply into an understanding of THE TROUBLES and the history of the economic and religious conflict in Belfast, they will take a two walking tours one led by a Loyalist former political prisoner and one led by a Republican former political prisoner. On this day, join our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: Where do I find strength in hard times? How do I offer support to others when times are hard for them? Where do I make room for God in my discomfort? When do I take a stand? What is the power of the storyteller? Tuesday, June 23 ANTICIPATING Leaving Belfast, traveling to beginning of the Heritage Trail Usually we don t look, we overlook. Alan Watts Our pilgrims will spend the morning at the Ulster Museum specifically to see The Troubles Exhibit which is presented as a tunnel, with the conflict represented by two stories, one on each side of the tunnel. They will also walk in the Botanical Garden and/or on the campus of Queens College, Belfast before boarding a chartered bus that will take them to the beginning of their walking trail in Country Mayo. Some of the pilgrims will be anticipating the following day s walking with eagerness, others with anxiety. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder: alone and together How can I enter more deeply into silence? How can I find rest when I am eager? In what ways am I kind to myself? Where do I find quiet in my life? What helps me to be less anxious? Wednesday, June 24 BEGINNING Walking 14.5 miles on the Heritage Trail A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao Tzu This is the day that our pilgrims begin walking towards Croagh Patrick. The trail has several places to stop and consider the heritage of the Irish people. The end of the day brings them to the Balintubber Community Centre where the group will spend the night sleeping on the concrete floors there. Along the way, they will find a grocery store in the small town of Balla, and purchase food to carry the rest of the way so that they can cook that evening. There are no restaurants or stores near the Community Centre. The sea is nearby. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: How is God with me on the path? What surprises me along the way? How was this day hard? How was this day easy?

3 Thursday, June 25 WALKING Balintubber Community Centre to Liscarney Community Centre The longest journey is the journey inwards of the one who has chosen his or her own destiny. Dag Hammarskjold This will be the second day of walking 14.5 miles on the Heritage Trail, which becomes the Pilgrim Trail leading to Croagh Patrick. Early advice this group received from a Santiago pilgrim most people can walk one long day. The challenge for the pilgrim is to get up the second day and continue walking. Some of the group might be tired, and some might be grumpy! On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: How do I walk through irritation and difficulties? Where do I turn when I get lost? In what ways do I trust the path? How do I keep my center? Where am I going? Friday, June 26 REACHING Climbing Croagh Patrick This is the moment where you see, however distant, the goal of your wandering. Suddenly the thing which has been living in your imagination because a part of your tangible world. Freya Stark Our pilgrims will start at sea level, walking 13 miles and climbing to 2500 feet. They will stand where, legend says, Patrick preached. Croagh Patrick, one of Irleand s holiest sites, is a little harder than it looks according to parishioner Dennis O Malley who has been a pilgrim there. The pilgrims will hopefully heed his advice to rent or buy a walking stick to aid in preventing slipping on the loose shale near the top. They will spend the night at the Lecanvey Community Centre, and for a welcome break from cooking, they may head across the street to an Irish Pub which has music and dancing on Friday evenings. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: What pleasure do I gain from stopping? What is waiting to be discovered? Who has walked this trail before me? Who has walked this trail with me? Where is the center of this place for me? Where is my own holy ground? Saturday, June 27 BEING Travel to the Dingle Peninsula It is not the road that wears you out it is the grain of sand in your shoe. Arabian Proverb After three days of walking, a charter bus ride will provide time for rest and reflection. This day brings our pilgrims to a hostel in County Kerry, and within sight of Skellig Michael. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: How dies it make sense for me to make a physical journey in search of spiritual understanding? Where is the holy in my life? What is the sand in my shoe that wears me out? Am I willing to remove that sand?

4 Sunday, June 28 WAITING Walking the pilgrim trail near the sea We must be still, and still moving. T. S. Eliot After beginning the day with a Morning Prayer service, our pilgrims will be taking a 9-mile hike along the cliffs overlooking the ocean. They will possibly see puffins off the edges of the cliffs, one of the deepest desires of each of our 2015 pilgrims. They will, hopefully, be able to see the island of Skellig Michael far offshore. And they will be faithfully waiting to see if the sea allows them to go there on Monday. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: What is worth waiting for? What helps me to wait? How is waiting a part of my spiritual practice? What am I waiting for today? Monday, June 29 EXPLORING On the ocean to Skellig Michael Remember that each of your days is blessed. Nadia Boulanger It is the day that our pilgrims intend to visit Skellig Michael. They will travel there in two small boats. Then, they will climb 600 steps to the monastery ruins and to visit the bee hives individual monk cells built over 1000 years ago using only stones (without mortar). There will also be another chance, hopefully, to see puffins! The weather will have to be clement or the boats will not make the journey to this isolated island out in the ocean. If the weather does not allow travel, our pilgrims will be continue hiking on pilgrim trails in the area. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: What do I hope to discover? What if I don t find what I hope to find? Who encourages me to explore? What draws me to isolated places? How will I remember the energy of this day? How can I support the role of explorer in my life? Tuesday June 30 DEEPENING Retreating to Ane Disehart In a sacred manner I am walking. With visible tracks, I am woalking. In a sacred manner, I walk. White Buffalo Woman Our pilgrims will walk again in the morning for 8 miles, and then spend the afternoon at a retreat center called Ane Disehart, a beautiful chapel with stained glass windows, a garden and a well. They will have time to pause one more time before turning toward home. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: How is my faith connected to those who have walked here as pilgrims? Who are my spiritual ancestors? How do I connect with them? What will I leave here for those who follow in MY footsteps? How does beauty feed my soul?

5 Wednesday, July 1 CONCLUDING Turning back towards Dublin Airport Everything sacred moves in a circle. Black Elk As our pilgrims begin their journey back home, there is time for one more 10-mile hike before a charter bus starts them back toward the airport and home. At the hostel that night it is time for the last of the Bible Stories and the personal stories, as well as time to reflect on what has happened and what has not. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, alone and together: How am I present to God and to myself? What has changed? What will endure for me from this time? What is the same? What is different? What matters? Thursday, July 2 RETURNING Flying home, busing home Dublin to St. Paul May the stars light our way and may you find the interior road. Forward!! traditional Irish farewell Our pilgrims will travel by train to the airport to catch a plane to Chicago. They will land at O Hare airport in time to get to the Megabus, which will deliver them back to their families, their friends, and our parish. On this day, join with our pilgrims as they wonder, along and together: What stays with me? What was hard and what was easy? What were the surprises? How will I share where I have been? How will I share where I am going? Where is God in this for me? How is this ending a beginning for me? Friday, July 3 HOMECOMING Pilgrims arrive at St. Paul Union Station at 5:00AM

The Linguaviva Centre Ltd. Social and Activity Programme July and August 2016

The Linguaviva Centre Ltd. Social and Activity Programme July and August 2016 Some things to keep in mind: 1. Some of the social and outdoor sport activities may be changed nearer the time as these activities